Norway has long led Europe in electric vehicle adoption, and now the country's EV advocates can boast of holding a new world record: the largest-ever gathering of moving electric vehicles. We are particularly amused that the record was set by 260 and a half EVs, since one of the cars was a cutaway version of the Nissan Leaf. The sliced EV is complete enough to drive, and was thus eligible to participate in the emissions-free parade.
Organized by the Electric Vehicle Union (EVU) and the Norwegian EV Association, the 2.5-mile parade featured a lot of Leafs (understandable, since it's the world's best-selling electric car) and took place in and around Oslo, Norway's capital. For proof, the drive "was monitored by two-camera carrying drones to ensure that all vehicles were moving simultaneously and qualified for the new world record." In support, Nissan announced it wants to have its EVs from around the world reach a cumulative 1 billion all-electric kilometers (621,371 miles) by the first day of 2015. A video featuring snippets of happy EV drivers talking about their cars and a press release about the event are available below.
The previous EV record was set last December when 225 Leaf EVs gathered at Silverstone in the UK. 260.5 certainly is a lot, but we have National Plug In Day coming up in the US at the end of the month, so we'll see if this new record stands for more than 30 days.
Organized by the Electric Vehicle Union (EVU) and the Norwegian EV Association, the 2.5-mile parade featured a lot of Leafs (understandable, since it's the world's best-selling electric car) and took place in and around Oslo, Norway's capital. For proof, the drive "was monitored by two-camera carrying drones to ensure that all vehicles were moving simultaneously and qualified for the new world record." In support, Nissan announced it wants to have its EVs from around the world reach a cumulative 1 billion all-electric kilometers (621,371 miles) by the first day of 2015. A video featuring snippets of happy EV drivers talking about their cars and a press release about the event are available below.
The previous EV record was set last December when 225 Leaf EVs gathered at Silverstone in the UK. 260.5 certainly is a lot, but we have National Plug In Day coming up in the US at the end of the month, so we'll see if this new record stands for more than 30 days.
NISSAN LEAFs LEAD WORLD RECORD BID
Norway has witnessed the largest ever gathering of moving electric vehicles... and most were Nissan LEAFs
ROLLE, Switzerland (3rd September 2013) - A new world record has been set by the Electric Vehicle Union (EVU) and Norwegian EV Association in Norway as 260½ electric vehicles (EVs), thanks to Nissan Half LEAF, were united to drive in unison outside of Norway's capital city, Oslo.
Starting from Maridalen in outer Oslo, the world's cleanest and quietest automotive gathering of all time followed a pre-determined 4km route and was monitored by two-camera carrying drones to ensure that all vehicles were moving simultaneously and qualified for the new world record. The previous record, which was set with just Nissan LEAF vehicles at the Silverstone circuit in the UK in 2012, was beaten by 35½ EVs.
Although open to owners of all EVs, a large proportion of the cavalcade was represented by the Nissan LEAF with a total number of 129 LEAFs registered for the record attempt. Nissan's zero-emission vehicle is one of the best selling cars in Norway with 2,298 cars being sold there in 2012.
"Although it was a fun event, it had a serious side," said Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe. "Its aim was to show that EVs are thoroughly practical everyday cars with the added benefit of producing no tailpipe emissions and very little noise. We had a customer from Hundeidvik, which is over 500km from Oslo, registered to take part using the quick charger network to get there. Norway is ahead of all other European electric vehicle markets, but many other governments and councils are watching closely and sales are increasing across the region."
Nissan celebrated the momentous record breaking occasion by handing over the keys to the initial allocation of Nissan LEAFs purchased by the Oslo municipality, the first of 1000 EVs the municipality will acquire over the next three years.
In addition to this, Nissan's Pop-up Café gave participants and spectators the chance to learn more about EVs and the future of zero emission mobility. At the Pop-up Café, the car manufacturer also unveiled its next challenge - to reach one billion electric km by 1st January 2015 - as the company aims to encourage more consumers to join the EV revolution. Kilometres covered by existing Nissan LEAF owners and from test drives all count towards the one billion goal.
"The World Record may not have been as successful without the participation of the Nissan LEAF. Not only is it Norway's best-selling EV, it's also the world's favourite zero emission car - a record breaker in its own right," said Jean-Pierre Diernaz.
The company also established a Test Drive Hub where existing and potential new owners could see for themselves the new, second-generation LEAF, which is now built in Europe and incorporates more than 100 significant changes and improvements.
Experts were on hand to answer questions about the car and zero-emission mobility, and to point out the benefits of the special Nordic Pack, available on LEAFs bought through Norway's Nissan dealer network. As well as the expected heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated door mirrors and headlamp washers, the Nordic Pack includes a battery heater to counter the country's extreme winter temperatures. The battery heater is only fitted to Nordic pack cars with temperatures in other parts of Europe not reaching the persistent low levels of the most northerly part of Europe.
Zero-emission EVs are hugely popular in Norway where, in 2012, they accounted for 2.9 per cent of the country's total new car market. Owners are exempt from sales tax and enjoy free city centre parking and can even drive in bus lanes without penalty.
Norway has witnessed the largest ever gathering of moving electric vehicles... and most were Nissan LEAFs
ROLLE, Switzerland (3rd September 2013) - A new world record has been set by the Electric Vehicle Union (EVU) and Norwegian EV Association in Norway as 260½ electric vehicles (EVs), thanks to Nissan Half LEAF, were united to drive in unison outside of Norway's capital city, Oslo.
Starting from Maridalen in outer Oslo, the world's cleanest and quietest automotive gathering of all time followed a pre-determined 4km route and was monitored by two-camera carrying drones to ensure that all vehicles were moving simultaneously and qualified for the new world record. The previous record, which was set with just Nissan LEAF vehicles at the Silverstone circuit in the UK in 2012, was beaten by 35½ EVs.
Although open to owners of all EVs, a large proportion of the cavalcade was represented by the Nissan LEAF with a total number of 129 LEAFs registered for the record attempt. Nissan's zero-emission vehicle is one of the best selling cars in Norway with 2,298 cars being sold there in 2012.
"Although it was a fun event, it had a serious side," said Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Director of Electric Vehicles at Nissan Europe. "Its aim was to show that EVs are thoroughly practical everyday cars with the added benefit of producing no tailpipe emissions and very little noise. We had a customer from Hundeidvik, which is over 500km from Oslo, registered to take part using the quick charger network to get there. Norway is ahead of all other European electric vehicle markets, but many other governments and councils are watching closely and sales are increasing across the region."
Nissan celebrated the momentous record breaking occasion by handing over the keys to the initial allocation of Nissan LEAFs purchased by the Oslo municipality, the first of 1000 EVs the municipality will acquire over the next three years.
In addition to this, Nissan's Pop-up Café gave participants and spectators the chance to learn more about EVs and the future of zero emission mobility. At the Pop-up Café, the car manufacturer also unveiled its next challenge - to reach one billion electric km by 1st January 2015 - as the company aims to encourage more consumers to join the EV revolution. Kilometres covered by existing Nissan LEAF owners and from test drives all count towards the one billion goal.
"The World Record may not have been as successful without the participation of the Nissan LEAF. Not only is it Norway's best-selling EV, it's also the world's favourite zero emission car - a record breaker in its own right," said Jean-Pierre Diernaz.
The company also established a Test Drive Hub where existing and potential new owners could see for themselves the new, second-generation LEAF, which is now built in Europe and incorporates more than 100 significant changes and improvements.
Experts were on hand to answer questions about the car and zero-emission mobility, and to point out the benefits of the special Nordic Pack, available on LEAFs bought through Norway's Nissan dealer network. As well as the expected heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated door mirrors and headlamp washers, the Nordic Pack includes a battery heater to counter the country's extreme winter temperatures. The battery heater is only fitted to Nordic pack cars with temperatures in other parts of Europe not reaching the persistent low levels of the most northerly part of Europe.
Zero-emission EVs are hugely popular in Norway where, in 2012, they accounted for 2.9 per cent of the country's total new car market. Owners are exempt from sales tax and enjoy free city centre parking and can even drive in bus lanes without penalty.
Featured Gallery World Record EV Gathering, Oslo, Norway, August 2013
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